A scenic byway is a specially designated road that travels through an area of natural or cultural beauty. You can drive on through your life as fast as you can, more focused on the destination than the journey. Or you can choose to be present and revel in the journey that is life. I choose the latter. Eyes wide open and marveling at the beauty that is everywhere all the time - this is My Scenic Byway.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Tumblr Trends

Do any of you have or follow blogs on Tumblr? When I first started My Scenic Byway, I had to choose which blog program to start it up in. I knew very little about the programs or how to do it. I recall that I mostly considered Blogger, Word Press and Tumblr. For the most part I think I am happy that I chose Blogger. I would like to be more savvy with it. I think my layout is kind of boring and I have a lot of ideas to improve the layout, but I am not really sure how to do it.

I also started a Tumblr blog this year - also called My Scenic Byway - to reflect this blog, but using only photographs. That blog is more of a showcase of my favorite photos - some that you will find here and some not. I still struggle to find the right layout there too.

There are some really amazing and some really funny blogs I've found and follow on both Blogger and Tumblr - some that are writing focused, but many that are just photographs and meme-type things. Tumblr does seem to be the better place for photographs and creative presentation of those photographs, whereas I've found a lot more writing centered blogs on Blogger. Both exist on both - just trying to point out trends I felt I've seen. And here is the weirdest trend of all - at least to me.

I am convinced that 90% of Tumblr is bored teenagers who create these photo blogs that are entirely repostings of other people's photos that result in these fascinating collage portraits of teen fantasies, dreams and deepest wants and desires. They are very commercial, very magazine like, very fashion-y, very cliche. Many of the photos aren't like mine - interesting but non-professional. No, they look like they've just been lifted out of magazines. They are commercial photography. And again, a lot of it looks like it came out of a fashion magazine. It is fascinating. It is a marketing team's gold mine. There, right there, without ever having to meet these young people - you can see what they like and want.

So much of the content on Tumblr is design and fashion focused. I am connected to this thing called Blog Lovin' which is kind of like a central place to enter your blog so people can find it. I am there under the label of travel blogs. What are the largest and most popular topics for blogs there? All fashion related. Fashion. Really? I mean I love fashion too, but I guess not as much as our youth population. I guess I was more into it at their age. When we get older we have more varied things to think about. There just isn't as much time for fashion anymore - unless that is a central part of your career and lifestyle. Personally I like the travel blogs. And there are lots of interesting ones out there. Hope you find some joy and something of interest when you peruse mine.

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All photographs on this site are mine, unless obvious or otherwise noted. I use a Canon EOS 50D or my iPhone. I enjoy photographing my world and I like to share these images, but please don't use them without crediting My Scenic Byway and a link back to the site. I promise to do the same.